"I'm happy because last year, we had a bad season with my team and every time you have a bad season, you ask a lot of questions on what you did well and not so well, and why the season went like that," Coudray said to Basketball World News.

"The best thing you can have is to win the championship.

"But we have an average age of 21 and finished in the top four and no one expected this from us."

Coudray stressed that the award should not only reflect well on him, but everyone else at the club.

"It's a distinction not only for the coach, but also the staff," he said.

"My assistant, Romain L'Hermitte also did a good job for the team and also the players did well."